The Ministry said in a statement that the ban will be lifted on European countries with less than 500 cases of infections per 100,000 people…reports Asian Lite News.
The tourist flights from UK and European Union countries with low infection rates are allowed enter Portugal from today, but the visitors must carry a negative coronavirus test certificate, according to reports.
The Portuguese Interior Ministry said that visitors will have to show proof of a negative test taken up to 72 hours before a flight and airlines will be fined between 500 euros ($607) and 2,000 euros for each passenger who boards without presenting proof of a negative test, media reported.
The Ministry said in a statement that the ban will be lifted on European countries with less than 500 cases of infections per 100,000 people.
Travellers from countries where 500 or more cases per 100,000 people have been reported over a 14-day period can only enter Portugal if they have a valid reason, such as for work or healthcare. These arrivals must quarantine for 14 days, it was reported.
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Meanwhile, a UK public health expert warned the lockdown easing in England on Monday should be approached the “with utmost caution.”
Richard Jarvis, co-chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA) public health medicine committee, said on Saturday that “key segments of the population” were still not vaccinated against Covid-19, Xinhua news agency reported.
“It is a real worry that when further measures lift on May 17, the majority of younger people, who are often highly socially mobile and could therefore be most at risk of a more infectious strain, are not yet vaccinated,” he told the BBC.
Those people in that age group had seen the highest rates of positive tests throughout the pandemic but would now be able to mix in larger groups indoors “without many of the mitigations that have helped to push infection rates lower and lower since the start of the year”, he said.
“We are urging the public, and young people in particular, to take a cautious approach to social and physical contact, to continue practising ‘hands, face, space’ and to meet outdoors wherever possible,” he added.
The expert’s warning came after Britain witnessed a spike in cases of the coronavirus variant first detected in India.
The UK government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) has said the relaxation on Monday could “lead to a substantial resurgence of hospitalisations, similar to, or larger than, previous peaks”.
The scientists said there “may be some reduction in protection” when it comes to the current vaccines.
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